Refrigerating apparatus



June 17, 1930. .1. R. REPLOGLE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 111926 6 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

w 1M. 9434? ATTORNEY.

June 17, 1930.

Filed Sept. 11, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 gff j! m 'EN TOR. :fanw ,8 55/2064.5

ATTORNEY.

June 17, 1930. REPLOGLE 1,764,645

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 11, 1926 6 Sheets$heet 3 1 XVEN TOR.

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June 17, 1930.

J. R. REPLOGLE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 11, 1926 6Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. a/wv I8 EEPLOGLE I ATTORNEY.

June 17, 1930. J. R. REPLOGLE REFRIGEHATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 11,1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 III I "mm" I N V EN TOR. JZH/V/E- ffiqmzi z ATTORN E Y.

June 17, 1930.

Filed Sept. 11 1926 J. R. REPLOGLE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 6Sheets-Sheet 5 z'dfl 1N VEN TO-R. Jaw Efizmwu WMM ATTORNEY.

Patented June 17, 1930 MTED STAS FTEN OFFlCE JOHII R. BEPLOGLE, 015DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO KELVINATORCORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGANREFRIGERATING APPARATUS Application filed. September 11, 1926. SerialNo. 184,790.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularlyto mechanical refrigerating apparatus of the compression type in whichair is utilized as the heat transfer medium.

' An object of the invention is to provide a refrigerating mechanism ofthe compression type utilizing air as the heat transfer medium, in whichthe elements are designed and associated into a simple, compactstructure 'requiring a minimum area of space for its installation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heat exchangeapparatus for refrigerating systems in which the air travels through aclosed conduit in its passage through the compartment in which therefrigerating mechanism is housed, so that dirt and foreign material inthe air will not come into contact with and settle upon the mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to form and associate the mechanismof a refrigerating apparatus, so that refrigerant after being liquefiedin the condenser will be directed to flow upon the compressor head forcooling purposes. to

These and other objects will appear in the following specification.

30. In the accompanying drawings which embody one form of the invention,Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an ice cream cabinet, partially in sectionto illustrate the refrigerating apparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe mechanism compartment of the cabinet having the casing removed toillustrate the refrigerating mechanism in position therein; Fig. 3 isanend elevation of the cabinet having the casing. removed to show themachinery compartment with the refrigerating mechanism therein; Fig. sisa fragmentary side elevation of the refrigerating mechanism removed fromthe cabinet and partially in section; Fig. 5 is an end view of thecondenser; Fig. 6 is a side elevation partially in section of thecondenser; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the cap intermediate the condenserand the compressor dome Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional View of the fanhousing; Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view through the fan and fanhousing takenon line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a vertical sectionthrough the fan and fan housing taken on line 1010 of Fig. 8; and Fig.11 is a fragmentary sectional view of the compressor to the cabinetshown in my Patent No. 1,476,-

546. The space within the cabinet is divided by a vertical wall 11 intoa refrigerated food containing compartment 12 and a machine compartment13, the food compartment including a brine tank 15 having a plurality offood containing sleeves 14 extending' therein. An evaporator 16 islocated intermediate a pair of the sleeves within the tank to maintainthe brine within a desired range of temperature. The frame of thecabinet illustrated consists of a plurality of horizontally andvertically extending angle irons 17 which are joined together to providea rectangular structure, and walls 18 are secured about the angle ironframe work to provide an enclosure, suitable insulating means beingprovided interiorly of the walls 18 and wall 11 to prevent the entranceof air interiorly of the food compartment of the cabinet. The evaporator16 is carried within ,the brine tank by an end wall 19 which is securedto a wall of the brine tank by studs 20. A coupling member 21 is securedto the end plate 19 and provides communication between the refrigerantsupply conduit 22 and the interior of the vaporizer. A coupling member23 is also secured to the end late 19 and provides a valve connectionetween the refrigerant return line 24 and the vaporizer, and a T-shapedcouplin 25 is associated with the connection 23 an providescommunication between the conduit 26 and the upper end of the vaporizer,the pressure within the vaporizer functioning through, this connection25 and conduit 26 to automatically control a switch for starting theelectric motor 34.

A reciprocating compressor is 4 arranged vertically within the machinecompartment 13 of the cabinet and includes a crank case housing 27having a flanged upper end 28 and a cylinder 29 provided with a flange30 which is secured upon the flange 28 of the crank casing housing. Apiston 31 is arranged to reciprocate within the cylinder 29' and isoperated by means of a piston rod 32, which is connected with a crankshaftextending through a crank case extension 33 and driven by theelectric motor 34 through transmission mechanism located within thecasing 35 and arranged in a horizontal plane adjacent the extension 33of the crank case 27. The driving shaft 36 of the electric m0- tor 34extends vertically in parallel relation with and at one side of thecylinder and crank case and projects beyond the top of the motor casing,as shown in Fig. 9.

The upper end of the cylinder 29 is open and a cylinder head 37 issecured thereto, such head having an open port extending verticallytherethrough which is normally closed by a spring pressed valve member38. A dome shaped casing 39 is provided at its base with a flange 40,which is secured to the flange 28 of the compressor casing by bolts 41.The dome casing surrounds the valved outlet end of the compressor and inspaced relation therewith forming a reservoir with the exterior wall ofthe cylinder, the refrigerant conduit 22 being connected with thereservoir by a port 42 formed in the compressor crank case. The top ofthe casing 39 is provided with an annular port, which is preferably oflarger diameter than the area of the outlet through the cylinder head37, and is arranged in vertical alignment therewith. Adjacent the upperend ofthe crank case casting 27 is provided a passage 43, with which therefrigerantreturn line 24 is connected, establishing communicationbetween the crank case and the evaporator.

The machinery within the compartment 13 is carried by the casting 27,its extension 33 and the casting 35, which are bolted together andsupported by legs 44 which are secured to and rest upon coil springs 45for absorbing the vibration of the compres sor and the other operatingmechanism associated therewith. One end of the crank case casting isprovided with a filler neck 46 closed by removable screw plug, and agauge 47 is associated with the end wall of the crank case casting sothat the pressure within the crank case can be readily observed.

A condenser structure is arranged upon the top of the dome 39 andincludes a cylindrical receptacle 48, preferably formed of cuprousmaterial and having end plates 49 secured in position by twining theends of the receptacle inwardly and beading the receptacle at the rearof the plates, and securing the same by soldering, or in any similarsuitable manner. The end plates are provided with a plurality of alignedapertures which are formed to flare outwardly, as at 50. Cylindricaltubes 51 extend through the receptacle 48 and are secured in theapertures in the end plates 49, the ends of the tubes being flaredoutwardly and ressed tightly against the walls in the en plates formingthe apertures. The tubes are preferably formed of copper and are ofsubstantially the same diameter throughout their length. The receptacle48 is arranged to be supported upon the top of the dome and preferablyextends axially in a horizontal plane, a portion 52 of the receptaclewall being formed with a. downwardly extending neck 52 which is insertedthrough the port in the top of the dome 39 and then flanged outwardly atits end interiorly of the dome to secure the receptacle rigidlytherewith. The port in the top of the dome 39 and the adjacentdownwardly extending portion 52 of the receptacle provide a conduit,which is preferably of larger diameter than the upwardly extendingportion'of the cylinder head and arranged in alignment therewith, topermit compressed refrigerant gases from the com ressor to be exhausteddirectly into the con enser receptacle 48.

A cylindrical sheet metal deflector is arranged within the conduitintermediate the compressor and the receptacle and is provided with aperipheral flange 53 which fits tightly within the downwardly extendingtral aperture 55 atits lowermost portion, and upwardly extendingapertured bosses 56 are/provided in the annular interior portion 54 ofthe deflector providing inlet passages through which the compressedrefrigerant gases pass into the receptacle 48. When the compressed gaseswithin the receptacle 48 have been condensed, the liquid refrigerantwill flow by gravity into the deflector and through the aperture 55therein, and will thereby be directed against the head of the compressorand chiefly against the valve portion thereof to cool-the same. It willbe seen that the bosses 56 project upwardly sufliciently so that thecompressed gases from the compressor will pass therethrough withoutcoming into contact with the condensed li uid refrigerant which isdraining bac against the wall 54 ofthe deflector, and in this mannerthere will be no co-mingling of the compressed gases with the returningliquid refrigerant. The, refrigerant will flow into the reservoir formedby the dome 39 and the exterior wall of the compressor, from which itpasses to the conduit 22 through the port 42, as previously described. Acylindrical casing or shell 57 preferably formed of sheet metal, isarranged exteriorly 1 of the condenser receptacle '48 and is maintainedin spaced relation therewith by bosses 58 which are formed to extendinwardly therefrom and to rest against the 5 exterior wall of thereservoir. The casing ,57 is provided with an aperture boss 59, throughwhich a neck 60 projecting from the reservoir extends; a suitable valvedcoupling 61 is arranged to extend within the neck 60 and such couplingprovides means whereby the mechanism can be charged with refrigerantfrom the exterior of the casing.

The condenser receptacle is located interiorly of the casing 57, and thecasing 57 forms one end of a main conduit through which air ispropelled. Air is drawn through the condenser structure and the elbow 62by the fan 70, the air passing through the condenser between theinterior of the shell 57 and the exterior of the receptaele 418 andthrough the tubes 51. The tubes 51 are provided interiorly with spiralstrips which cause the air passing therethrough to swirl and scrubagainst the tubes. Heat from the refrigerant discharged into thereceptacle 48 is absorbed by the air while passing through the condenserstructure and is transferred from the tubes 51 and the receptacle wall.The air conduit consists further of an annular elbow 62, a fan housing63 having an outletneck portion 64,

and a flexible bag 65 which-extends through an aperture in the bottomwall 66 of the machinery compartment of the cabinet. The elbow 62telescopes interiorly of an end of the casin 57 and is secured rigidlytherewith, the el ow being formed to direct air from a horizontal pathinto a vertical path.

0 The lower end of the annular elbow 62 is arranged to telescope withinthe inturned upper wall 67' of the fan housing 63 and is arranged inopen communication with the interior of such housing. The lower wall ofthe housing 63 is provided with a depending flange 68 which telescopesinto an opening at the top of the motor casing 34 and is supportedthereby. The fan housing extension 64 is preferably formed separatelyand is formed to extend in a horizontal plane from the fan housing andthen in a downwardly extending plane at its end, to direct air travelingin a horizontal plane through the fan housing into a vertical plane fromwhich it passes through the bag portion 65 of theconduit to the exteriorof the cabinet. The elbow 62, the fan housing 63 and the fan housingextension 64 are all formed preferably from single sheets of metal andare assembled together as a ri 'd unitary structure, the fan housingextension being riveted to the fan housing at 69, as shown in Fig. 8.The wall of the machinery compartment is provided with an opening 65 orwith louvres, so that air can be drawn A fan of a rotary straight bladetype,

is located within the fan housing 63 and is arranged axially in alinment with the opening in the top wall of t e housing. The

fan conslsts of a pair of side members 71 which have securedtherebetween a plurality of straight blades 72, the lower side member 71being curved upwardly and resting upon a bearing 73 which is supportedupon a housing 74 extending aroundthe extension 36 of the driving shaft.A bolt 75 is provided to secure the upper end of the driving shaftextension 36. The fan and the compressor being driven by the same motorshaft will operate synchronously when the automatic mechanism causes themotor to operate.

The depending end 7 6 of the fan housing extension 64 is flaredoutwardly, and the upper end of the bag 65 is secured to a coil spring77 which clamps the bag to the fan housing extension above the flangedportion 76. The lower end of the ba is secured to a coil spring 7 8which is 0 such a normal diameter that it extends exterior of theopening in the floor board 66 through which the bag 65 passes, and itwill therefore be seen that the bag is held in the position describedand can be readily removed from the fan housing extension and the m'achine compartment.

The fan is arranged to be driven at a substantially high rate of speedand. will draw air through the opening in the side of the machinecompartment, through and around the condenser, then through the elbow62, the fan housing 63 and its extension 64, and outof the machinecompartment through the bag 65.' This arrangement confines the airduring its entire passage through the machine compartment and thereforedirt will not become lodged upon the working elements of the machinerywhich is housed within the compartment 13. By providing a high speed fana small condenser can be utilized, and with the construction andarrangement of the air conduits, fan, and condenser I provide a compactstructure which can be manufactured at a low'cost and installed in acomparatively small space. The horizontal arrangement of the condenserand the parallel relation of the fan and drive shaft with the compressorpermits connections to be readily made for the passage of air in aconfined path, which lends itself to compactness.

.said condenser and casing sults in a structure which can bemanufactured and assembled at a low cost.

Various changes can be made in the construction and arrangement of theheat transferring device herein described without departing from thespirit of what is claimed. v

What I claim is: 1. In refrigerating apparatus, a compres- $01, a motoroperatively connected to saidcompressor, an evaporator, a casingenclosng the outlet end of said compressor forming therewith arefrigerant reservoir, an air cooled condenser receptacle secured uponthe top of said casing, said condenser and casing having aligned portsthrough which compressed refrigerant is dischar ed from said casing andreturns in li uid orm into said reservoir, a fan operative y connectedto said motor and adapted to blow air over said condenser, and conduitsleading from said evaporator to saidcompressor and said reservoir.

2. In refrigeratm apparatus, a compressor, a motor operatively connectedto said compressor, an evaporator, a casing enclosingthe outlet end ofsaid compressor forming a refrigerant reservoir therewith, aperforatedcondenser drum secured andextcnding lengthwise across thetopof said casing, having aligned ports through which refrigerant enters ingaseous form and returns to said reservoir by gravity in liquid form, afan operatively connected to said motor and adapted to blow air throuhsaid condenser drum, and conduits lea ing from said evaporator to saidcompressor and said reservoir.

'3. In refrigerating apparatus, a compres -sor. an evaporator, avertically extending casing surrounding the outlet end of saidcompressor forming a refrigerant reservoir, a condenser receptacle abovesaid casing, a

conduit connecting said reservoir and said condenser receptacle, a plateextending transversely in said conduit, said plate having perforationsand apcrtured bosses to permit passage of liquid and gaseous refrigerantin opposite directions without mingling, and conduits leading from saidevaporator to said reservoir and said compressor.

4. In refrigerating apparatus, a compressor having an outlet valve inits top wall,a

casing surroundin the upper end of said compressor, a con enserreceptacle secured to the top of said casing, said casing and condenserreceptacle having assages therein in alignment with said out et valve ofthe compressor, means in said passages to direct liquid refrigerantreturning by gravity from said condenser receptacle against said outletport, an evaporator, and conduits connectin said evaporator with saidcompressor and the interior of said casing.

5. In a refrigerated food cabinet having a machine compartment, heatexchange mechanism within said compartment comprising a condenser incommunication at one end with air exterior of said compartment, saidcondenser having air passages therethrough, an elbow conduit secured inopen communication with the other end of said condenser, a snail housingsecured with said elbow, a fan in said snallthousing for pro pellingair, and a conduit leading from said snail housing to the exterior ofsaid machine compartment.

6. In a refrigerated food cabinet having a machine compartment, heatexchange mechanism within said compartment comprising a condenser incommunication at one end with air exterior of said compartment, saidcondenser having air passa therethrough, an elbow conduit secure in opencommunication with the air passa s at the other end of said condenser, asnail housin secured with said elbow, a fan in said snai housing ,forpropelling air, and a detachable flexible conduit leading from saidsnail housing to the exterior of said machine compartment.

4 7. In a refrigerating apparatus, in combination, a compressor, acasing -'surroundin the upper-outlet end of said compressor, an spacedtherefrom to provide a liquid refrigerant reservoir, a condensercomprising a closed shell having air passa es exten n horizontallytherethrough an a surroun ing casing, said condenser casing beingsecured to and in open communicationwith said reservoir, a motor foroperating said compressor having ashaft extending in parallel relationwith said compressor, a an secured to said motor drive shaft for causingair to travel throu h the air passages in said condenser, an a conduitextending intermediate one of the ends of said condenser casing and saidfan.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus, a compressor structure having a valvedoutlet port in a wall thereof, a casing secured to and enclosing aportion of said compressor structure, said casing being adapted toprovide a liquid refrigerant reservoir interiorly th'ere-' of, acondenser secured to said casing, said condenser and casing having portsthrough a condensed refrigerant in a direction toward a the valvedoutlet port in said compressor,

and means for directing a heat absorbing fluid into contact with saidcondenser.

9. In "a refrigerating apparatus, a compressor structure having a valvedoutlet port in a wall thereof, a casing secured to surround the upperportion of said compressor structure in spaced relation with the wallsthereof, the space between said casing and said compressor forming aliquid refrigerant reservoir, a condenser mounted on the top of saidcasing, the adjacent walls of said condenser and said casing havingcommunicating ports in alignment with the valved outlet port in saidcompressor structure, and means associated with theports in said casingand condenser to permit gaseous refrigerant to enter said condenser andto direct condensed refrigerant against the valved port in saidcompressor structure.

10. In a refrigerating apparatus, a compressor structure having a valvedoutlet port in the wall thereof, a motor operatively connected to saidcompressor, a casing secured in spaced leak proof relation andsurrounding the upper portion of said compressor structure, the spacebetween said casing and said compressor. structure forming a liquidrefrigerant reservoir, a condenser secured upon the top of said casingand arran ed in 0 en communication therewith and means operatively.connected to said motor for directing a current of air transversely ofsaid apparatus in contact with the walls of'said condenser.

11. In a refrigerating apparatus, a compressor having a verticallyextending cylinder, a casing surrounding the upper portion of saidcylinder in spaced relation therewith, said cylinder having an outletport for admitting compressed refrigerant into the space exteriorthereof, a condenser secured upon the top of said casing having a portfor communication with the casing, a fan for moving air transversely ofsaid apparatus and in contact with the wall of said condenser, the axisof said fan being parallel with one side of said compressor cylinder,and means for driving said compressor and fan.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN R. REPLOGLE.

